Secrets and Lies
by cleotheo
Summary: A betrayal causes Draco to end his engagement to Astoria and leave the country. Years later he's back, along with his wife, and a reunion brings him face to face with his ex-fiancée and the people he once thought of as friends. Short four part Slytherin reunion story.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N – This is a short 4 part reunion story. As regular readers know I love the reunion type of story, but for this one I decided to do something different and make Draco the one who hasn't seen his friends for years.**

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><p>Draco Malfoy was making the most of his quiet Saturday morning. He was stretched out on his large sofa, reading the papers and drinking a cup of tea. Since leaving school five years ago and going to work at the busy family business, Draco rarely had a complete weekend off. Usually he brought home some work to do over the weekend, but for once there was no need to bring home extra work and Draco was looking forward to a relaxing weekend.<p>

Draco was also quite pleased that his relaxing weekend just happened to have fallen on a Saturday when his fiancée, Astoria Greengrass already had plans. If Astoria hadn't been busy no doubt she would have found something for them to do, most likely something that involved Draco spending money on her, but luckily for Draco she'd already made plans. After visiting her sister, Daphne, the previous evening Astoria had headed to a friend's place for the night. The two witches were then planning on spending their Saturday shopping before Astoria returned home.

Draco shuddered to think how much Astoria would spend as his fiancée liked to splash the cash and had very expensive tastes. Luckily her father was still footing the bills for Astoria's shopping trips, but once they were married in a month all that would change and it would be up to Draco to deal with Astoria's spending habits. Draco had no problem spending money on Astoria, but there was no way he was going to indulge her the way her father did. They'd already had a discussion about a limit to her spending once they were married, but Draco suspected she hadn't really taken it in. No doubt Astoria was thinking she could carry on spending the way she wanted and wheedle her way out of trouble with Draco in the bedroom. Little did she realise that Draco was having none of that and was planning on making sure Astoria didn't spend more than he was willing to pay for once they were married.

Turning his attention away from Astoria and her spending habits, Draco briefly put down his papers as he went to make himself another cup of tea. As he made the tea he grabbed himself a couple of biscuits to nibble on. The blond wizard had only just returned to the front room and settled back down when there was a knock on the door. Placing his tea on the coffee table, Draco once again got up and went to answer the door.

"Theo." Draco greeted, when he opened the door to the penthouse and found one of his best friends, Theo Nott, standing outside.

"Draco." Theo said. "Can we talk?"

"Of course, come in."

"You are alone, aren't you?" Theo questioned as he entered the luxury penthouse his friend owned.

"Yeah, Astoria's out shopping. I'm not expecting her back until later." Draco replied as the two men made their way into the front room. "Do you want a drink?"

"No, thanks." Theo replied.

"Is everything okay, Theo?" Draco asked. His friend seemed nervous and looked troubled.

"No." Theo answered as he perched on a chair. "I've done something so stupid."

"What?" Draco settled back onto the sofa, wondering what Theo had done.

"I've slept with someone else." Theo admitted quietly.

Draco stared at his friend, genuinely shocked by his confession. Theo was married to Astoria's sister Daphne and Draco had always thought they had the perfect relationship. The pair had been together since they were fifteen and had gotten married just over a year after leaving school. They'd always seemed so happy and in love and Draco had envied them finding the person they wanted to spend their life with so early.

"Why?" Draco asked eventually. "I thought you loved Daphne."

"I do." Theo insisted. "But lately I've been wondering if we settled down too early. Daphne's the only witch I've ever been with and I started to wonder if maybe I was missing out on something. So when I suddenly had this attractive witch throwing herself at me, I couldn't resist. She was offering it up on a plate, how could I refuse?"

"How about because you're married and you claim to love your wife?" Draco retorted. "You should have been able to say no."

"I know that's what I should have done." Theo sighed. "But I didn't, and now I have no idea what to do."

"I would say you have two options." Draco told his friend. "You either tell Daphne, and throw yourself at her mercy and hope she forgives you, or you forget the entire thing and make sure it never happens again."

"It's not that simple." Theo muttered.

"Why not?" Draco questioned. "It's not as if you're going to see this woman again, is it?"

"Actually I will."

"Please tell me you're not planning on having a full blown affair." Draco growled. "Daphne's my friend as well, and I don't want to lie to her for you."

"I'm not going to have an affair." Theo said quietly. "But the thing is, I know this woman really well. I'm going to have to see her all the time."

"Don't tell me it's Pansy." Draco groaned. Pansy Parkinson was the only witch Draco could think that Theo would see on a regular basis as she was Daphne's best friend and their best friend, Blaise Zabini's girlfriend. "Please say you haven't slept with your wife's best friend. Not to mention that she's also your best friend's girlfriend."

"I wish." Theo snorted. "It's worse than that."

"What can be worse than your shagging your wife's best friend?"

"Sleeping with her sister." Theo mumbled quietly.

Draco blinked a few times as he tried to register what Theo was saying. "Astoria?" He whispered eventually. "You slept with Astoria?"

"I'm so sorry Draco." Theo cried. "I tried to resist, but she was all over me. It was a mistake honestly."

"Get out." Draco said coldly.

"But Draco…"

"I said get out." Draco snarled. "Now."

Theo took one look at his fuming best friend and decided it was best he left. Draco was more than capable of completely losing it and Theo didn't want to be in the crossfire if that happened. As it was he knew he was lucky not to have been hexed into oblivion.

"I'm sorry." Theo offered one final time as he left the penthouse.

Draco sat staring into space, barely aware of Theo leaving the penthouse. He could have easily lost it and lashed out at Theo, but to be honest he was slightly stunned. He knew Astoria liked to flirt, as did he, but he'd never once considered that she would cheat on him. He would never dream of betraying his fiancée like that and he was genuinely hurt that she would do that to him. They'd been together for two and a half years and he thought Astoria loved him, clearly he'd been wrong. In Draco's opinion if you loved someone, you didn't cheat on them, it was as simple as that.

Draco sat for nearly an hour before he got up and headed off to the spare room. The room was currently being used as the headquarters to organise the wedding and everything he needed was in there. Draco knew without a doubt that the wedding was off, he couldn't marry Astoria after her betrayal. He doubted he would ever have been able to forgive her for cheating on him, but the fact she'd done so with Theo was enough for him to know he could never trust her again. Not only had she betrayed him with one of his best friends, but she'd betrayed her sister as well by bedding her husband. Given her actions with Theo, Draco was beginning to think he'd never known Astoria at all.

Thinking about the betrayal he'd suffered, Draco set about gathering the wedding information and heading to his study. Once in his study, he spent the rest of the morning and most of the afternoon cancelling the wedding. Because of the relatively late notice Draco couldn't get back any of his deposits, but he wasn't bothered about money. He would rather lose a few hundred galleons than marry someone who had broken his heart.

After cancelling the wedding, Draco headed into the bedroom and grabbed a case. Magically enlarging it so it would hold everything he needed, he set about packing up his things. While the penthouse was actually his and he planned on telling Astoria to vacate it, he just couldn't stick around the place. He would go home to the Manor, and once Astoria was out of the penthouse he would completely empty it and sell it.

After making sure he had everything he needed or wanted to take immediately, Draco threw his bag down beside the fire and sat down to wait for Astoria. He could have just gone and left a note, but he needed to end things with his fiancée face to face. Whether she would try to apologise or not didn't matter to Draco, he was leaving and nothing she could say would change that.

It was nearly six o'clock before Astoria sauntered into the penthouse. As Draco had earlier suspected she'd gone wild at the shops, and returned home laden with bags. Seemingly oblivious to Draco's dark mood she magically sent her bags to the bedroom, before walking over to her fiancé and leaning over to give him a peck on the cheek. It was only when Draco pulled away that Astoria spotted how frosty he looked.

"What's wrong?" She asked.

"What's wrong is that I've just found out my fiancée is a cheating tart." Draco replied.

"How dare you call me a tart." Astoria gasped.

"I'm sorry, what should I call you?" Draco asked sarcastically. "What is the right term for a woman who sleeps with her fiancé's best friend, who also happens to be her brother-in-law?"

"How do you know?" Astoria questioned as she sank down onto the sofa, going pale as she realised her secret was out.

"Theo." Draco answered. "I'm not sure if he had an attack of conscience, or if he just felt I should know what a tart I was going to marry."

"I'm sorry Draco." Astoria said quietly. "I was weak and stupid, but he kept coming onto me and I made a mistake."

"Funny, according to Theo it was you coming onto him." Draco chuckled humourlessly. He had no idea which one was lying, but at this point he didn't care.

"I wouldn't do that." Astoria protested. "Please Draco, you have to believe me. It was a mistake, and not even a good one. I love you, it's you I'm marrying."

"Not anymore." Draco told his former fiancée as he stood up. "I've cancelled the wedding."

"Please don't." Astoria begged. "I promise it won't happen again, it was a one off."

"Once is more than enough." Draco retorted. "It's over Astoria. I'm going back to the Manor, but I want you out. You've got a week to leave the penthouse, and don't try taking anything that's not yours because I'll know."

"Draco, don't go." Astoria called as Draco picked up his bag and activated the floo network.

Ignoring the cries of the witch who had almost become his wife, Draco stepped into the emerald flames and flooed to his childhood home. He arrived in the welcoming room that served as the main floo entrance point in the Manor and almost immediately a house elf appeared. After handing his bag to the elf and asking it to take it to his room, Draco set off in search of his parents.

Draco found Lucius and Narcissa in the front room, the couple were sitting talking quietly on the sofa together. Draco watched his parents lovingly interacting with each other for a couple of minutes before making his presence known.

"Draco." Narcissa smiled widely at the sight of her son, but her expression became more serious when she noticed the sad expression on her son's face. "What's happened?" She asked, ushering him into the room and sitting him down beside her.

"I've left Astoria." Draco answered.

Lucius grabbed his son a glass of firewhisky and handed it to him as Draco began to explain all that had happened that day. Lucius and Narcissa were both shocked to hear what had happened, but they both agreed that Draco had done the right thing in leaving Astoria. Despite what most people thought of them, Draco was their top priority and neither Lucius nor Narcissa would expect him to do anything that made him unhappy.

"What are you going to do now?" Lucius asked his son.

"I don't know." Draco shrugged. "I've given her a week to get out of the penthouse, but I'm not going back. In fact, I think I might just leave altogether and get a fresh start."

"Let's not be too hasty." Narcissa said quickly. "Give yourself a few days before you make any final decisions."

"Don't worry Mother, I'm not going to rush off just yet." Draco reassured Narcissa. "It's just an option at this stage."

Despite Draco insisting his decision to leave wasn't final, both Lucius and Narcissa knew he would end up leaving. The fact he'd mentioned it clearly meant he'd been seriously thinking about it, and if he'd been thinking about it in such a serious manner they knew he would follow through on it. Hopefully he would stick around for a while but the couple were certain that he would be gone before the day he had been due to be married in just over a month's time.


	2. Chapter 2

**Seven Years Later. **

**_Hogwarts Reunion!_**

_Come and find out what your former classmates are all doing at thirty._

_You are invited to the reunion at The Three Broomstick in Hogsmeade._

_1st August. 7.00pm._

Draco threw the invitation back down on his desk in annoyance. When the invite had first turned up six weeks ago, he'd instantly dismissed the idea of attending. He was quite settled in New York and had no desire to return to somewhere he was likely to run into his former friends. However things had since changed and he was currently packing up to return home permanently and he'd agreed to think about attending the reunion. He still wasn't too keen on attending the event, but his main excuse of living abroad was no longer valid as by the beginning of August he would be settled back in England.

Draco had first left England a fortnight after his split with Astoria. He'd spent two weeks at the Manor and was disappointed when none of his friends visited him. He hadn't for one minute thought that Theo and Astoria would own up and tell Daphne the truth therefore her absence was to be expected, but he had hoped Blaise and Pansy would come and get his side of the story. Instead his friends hadn't bothered to get in touch and he knew from his parents that they hadn't even bothered in the years that followed.

In those two weeks the only visitor was Astoria's angry father, who was demanding to know what had gone on. According to him Astoria was claiming Draco had cancelled the wedding and kicked her out without an explanation. Lucius had made it very clear to Mr Greengrass that Astoria knew full well why Draco had called off their engagement, and if he wanted answers he could get them from his daughter. Draco had no idea if Mr Greengrass had gotten any answers of Astoria but he suspected not, he couldn't really imagine Astoria telling her father the truth about the reason behind their split.

While he was at the Manor, Draco and Lucius came up with a plan that would give him the fresh start he wanted. For years Lucius had been keen to expand the business to America, so he suggested Draco head over to the States and get working on it. Draco eagerly took up his father's challenge of establishing their business in America and decided to set up in New York.

Draco had been in New York for nearly eighteen months when he spotted an advertisement for a book signing in a wizarding bookshop he frequented. The author of the book was the former Gryffindor, Hermione Granger, and Draco decided it would be nice to catch up with his former schoolmate. He'd read a few of her books over the years and she was a very talented author.

Despite a rocky start to their school years, Draco and Hermione had become friends in seventh year when they were Head Boy and Girl. In fact Draco had even developed a bit of a thing for the feisty Gryffindor, but he'd never acted upon it. Several times he'd considered making a move on Hermione, but they were either interrupted before he managed to ask her out or he lost his nerve as he was never quite sure if she just thought of him as a friend. By the end of the year he'd never acted upon his crush, and then they went their separate ways and it was too late.

Despite keeping an eye on Hermione's career and reading some of her books, Draco had never really given his crush a second thought until he was standing in front of her in the bookstore. After getting his book signed he'd asked Hermione if she wanted to catch up for a drink when she was done. Hermione agreed and the pair went for a drink after she was finished, which led to them spending hours talking and reminiscing.

Hermione had only been in New York for a week as she was doing a large book signing tour across the country. Despite her short time in New York the couple had dinner twice and Draco even managed to get a copy of her schedule. Over the next three months he regularly turned up at her signings and took her out for dinner in whatever city she happened to be in. When the tour was over, Hermione announced she had a few weeks before she had to do anything else so she headed back to New York with Draco.

After almost a month in New York, Hermione returned home to London. For almost six months the pair continued to travel to see one another, until Hermione decided it was becoming too much work to conduct a transatlantic romance. Draco had thought she was ending things until she announced she was moving to New York to be with Draco. She'd known he had the business to run and things were just starting to take off with it, whereas she could write anywhere in the world. Once Hermione was in New York permanently their relationship took off and nine months later they were married.

While Draco only had his parents at home to visit, Hermione still had her group of friends. She was always visiting them and they often visited her once she settled in New York with him. Draco had been worried about her friend's reactions, especially as they hadn't gotten along in school, but they were all really welcoming. Her best friends, Harry Potter and Ron Weasley, did warn Draco there would be trouble if he hurt Hermione, but since they were perfectly happy they had no problems with him. Draco was also surprised to find he actually liked the former Gryffindors and he'd established his own friendship with Hermione's friends. Harry and Ron, along with their respective wives Ginny and Luna, had really become good friends to Draco.

For almost four years the couple had been happy in New York. The business was now flourishing and Draco could leave at any time without creating a problem, but both he and Hermione had been settled in the busy city. It wasn't until Ginny had a baby boy just over a year previously that the couple got talking about their own future. They both wanted children and they agreed when the time came they would move back home to be nearer to their friends and family. That time came four weeks ago, when Hermione discovered she was pregnant.

As they were planning to return home, Hermione had mentioned the reunion and the fact they would return home several weeks before it happened. When the reunion invitation had first arrived, Hermione and their friends had all tried to persuade him to attend but he refused to be swayed. His reason of living abroad was flimsy, but now even that had gone. In an effort to get Hermione and their friends off his back he'd agreed to think about attending, but what he was really doing was trying to think of reasons not to attend the reunion.

In seven years he hadn't heard one thing from his former friends, and that hurt him more than he would ever admit. Blaise and Pansy had especially hurt him, and in all honesty Draco didn't want to see them and open up old wounds. He now had new friends, who he liked and who he knew would be there for him and Hermione. And in Hermione, he had a witch he truly loved and who truly loved him. At the time he'd been sure he was in love with Astoria, but now he was with Hermione he recognised that what he felt for his former fiancée was a mere shadow of the love he felt for his wife.

"Are you going to sit in here all day?" Hermione questioned as she entered the study, drawing Draco from his thoughts.

"I'm packing." Draco answered.

"It looks like it." Hermione snorted, gesturing to the empty boxes sitting beside Draco's desk. Her husband had entered the study half an hour ago and it looked as though he was no further forward with his packing.

Rolling his eyes at Hermione, Draco pulled out his wand and within a few minutes the contents of his study were neatly packed in the boxes.

"All done." He announced with a grin.

"All except this." Hermione reached over and plucked the reunion invitation from the desk. "Are you still considering it?"

"Only because I promised you I would." Draco replied. "You know my opinion on the matter."

"You shouldn't feel as though you have to hide." Hermione told her husband. "You did nothing wrong."

"I know that. I just don't have any desire to see people who I once thought were my friends." Draco retorted as the couple left the study and headed for the front room. "I have friends here." He said, gesturing to the two couples who had come to help them pack. "And to be honest, I'm not that bothered with anyone else."

"Are you not curious to see what became of people?" Ginny Potter asked, immediately picking up on what Hermione and Draco were talking about.

"No." Draco answered as he flopped down on the sofa. "I know what you lot do, and I was never very friendly with any Ravenclaws or Hufflepuffs."

"To be fair, you were never very friendly with anyone outside of Slytherin." Ron Weasley pointed out.

"True." Draco nodded, knowing the redhead wasn't being malicious, he was just stating the facts.

"No, it's not." Hermione protested. "We were friends in our last year. Or don't I count?"

"Of course you do." Draco smiled at his wife, as he reached up and pulled her onto his lap.

When Hermione settled herself on Draco and the couple began to kiss, the other four people in the room groaned. Public displays of affection from the couple were pretty common, but they all knew if they didn't keep an eye on them things could get heated fairly quickly. It wouldn't be the first time that they'd been innocently kissing one minute and the next time someone turned round Draco's hand would be under Hermione's skirt or her hand would be in Draco's trousers.

"Break it up you two." Harry Potter called as he spotted Draco's hand starting to climb up Hermione's leg.

"Yeah, there's a child present." Ginny added, gesturing to her one year old son who was asleep in his playpen in the corner of the room.

"He's sleeping." Draco remarked, glancing over to where James was happily snoring his little head off.

"That's no excuse." Ginny tutted. "What if he wakes up and sees something he shouldn't?"

"What's he going to do, tell on us?" Draco laughed.

"Lighten up Gin." Ron told his sister. "He's a baby, he can't understand."

"Besides, we weren't actually doing anything." Hermione pointed out.

"Draco's hand was halfway up your skirt." Harry argued. "I could nearly see your underwear."

"What underwear?" Hermione grinned cheekily, causing Harry and Ron to blush, Luna and Ginny to laugh and Draco to groan slightly.

"Are you really not wearing underwear?" Draco whispered to his wife as their friends conversation returned to packing and what still needed to be done.

"You'll just have to find out later." Hermione said, giving Draco one final kiss before hopping off his lap and heading into the kitchen.

Ginny and Luna followed Hermione into the kitchen, leaving the boys to finish off in the front room. For a while the three wizards worked in silence, with them taking it in turns to check James was still sleeping okay.

"Are you really going to avoid the reunion?" Harry asked eventually.

"I don't know." Draco shrugged. "I meant what I said about not wanting to see my former friends, but I know Hermione really wants to go."

"So in other words, you're going." Ron chuckled, knowing that Draco would do anything for Hermione and if she really wanted to attend the reunion he would go for her.

"Probably." Draco admitted.

"With any luck they won't even show up." Harry said optimistically. "And even if they do, Astoria won't be with them. She wasn't in our year."

"At least there's that." Draco said. "She's the last person I want to see."

"Can't say I blame you there." Ron remarked. "Who would want to see the slapper that cheated on them just before their wedding?"

"Language Ron." Harry hissed, checking James was still sleeping and Ginny hadn't heard her brother. James was just starting to talk and Ginny was worried about him picking up on what people said and repeating it.

"Sorry." Ron said sheepishly, also looking around in case Ginny had re-entered the room.

"Thanks for the reminder." Draco muttered at Ron. "I'd totally forgotten what Astoria had done."

"Sorry, I didn't realise you were so sensitive." Ron grimaced, feeling bad for bringing up the past when it obviously still bothered Draco.

"You weren't to know." Draco told the redhead. "I may have moved on and I never loved Astoria the way I love Hermione, but it's not exactly my favourite memory. No matter what's happened since, I was still betrayed by two people I cared about and lost all my friends because of their actions."

"Sorry." Ron apologised again. "I guess I've never thought of it like that."

"It's okay." Draco reassured his friend. "Now enough about Astoria and the past, we've got a house to finish packing up."

With that the three men carried on packing and Draco's past was never mentioned again that day. The reunion did keep playing about in his head, but Draco vowed to wait until they returned home before he thought any more about it. They still had a few weeks before they had to make a decision on whether or not to attend.


	3. Chapter 3

Stepping outside into the bright sunlight Daphne Nott paused to adjust to the sun, before she headed over to where her husband, sister and friends were sitting. Blaise and Pansy Zabini, along with her sister Astoria had popped over for the afternoon and since it was so nice they decided to sit in the garden. When Daphne arrived at the table, Theo and Blaise were having a discussion about a recent Quidditch match they had attended so Daphne turned her attention to her best friend and little sister.

"I spoke to Greg this morning." She announced. Gregory Goyle was one of their old friends from Hogwarts, although these days they saw a lot less of him and their other friend Vincent Crabbe. "He's happy to take Astoria to the reunion as his plus one."

"What?" Theo's head shot up as he heard what his wife had just said. "Why are you asking Greg to take Astoria to the reunion? She wasn't even in our year, she won't know anyone."

"She'll know us." Daphne retorted.

Since her sister's broken engagement to Draco seven years ago Daphne had made a big fuss of including Astoria in almost everything she and her friends did. Pansy was more than happy to embrace the younger Greengrass sister and the trio were always spending their time shopping and gossiping. Even before the broken engagement Astoria was a part of their group, the only difference was that now there was no Draco.

"Besides, it'll be fun if we're all together." Pansy added, shooting Astoria a wide smile.

"But is it really the wisest thing to do?" Theo questioned. "What if Draco shows up and there's trouble? I don't think Ernie MacMillan would appreciate us ruining the reunion he planned."

"Bugger Ernie." Blaise snorted. "Besides we won't be causing any problems. Draco won't even show up."

"How can you be so sure?" Theo asked.

"I can't." Blaise admitted. "But it's unlikely, isn't it? I mean come on, he did a runner days after leaving Astoria and he hasn't been seen since."

"And why should Astoria hide away anyway? She didn't do anything wrong." Pansy said. "Draco was the one in the wrong, he should be the one too ashamed to show his face."

Theo snuck a look at Astoria, but as usual when Draco was mentioned she was giving nothing away. Astoria was rigidly sticking to her story of not knowing why Draco left her and considering his part in events Theo was more than happy to go along with it. However her attending the reunion just seemed like a bad idea.

"And what about Cordelia?" Theo asked. Cordelia was Astoria's little girl, who would turn three in October.

"I wasn't planning on bringing her." Astoria replied. "My parents will look after her, just like they are today."

"You know how much my parents love having her." Daphne told her husband. "It's not as if they've got anymore have they? Cordelia is their sole grandchild."

"Knock it off, Daph." Theo snapped at his wife. Children was a sticky subject between the couple and Theo hated it when Daphne brought up her desire for a child in front of other people.

"I'm just saying." Daphne sniffed haughtily. "It's not as if we've provided them with grandchildren."

"I'm going to get a drink." Theo snarled, getting increasingly frustrated with his wife.

As he left he caught Astoria's eye and nodded his head in the direction of the house. The small incline of her own head was his only indication she'd understood him as he headed off inside. Theo had been in the kitchen less than five minutes before Astoria came wandering in, seemingly understanding he wanted to talk.

"What is it?" She asked in a bored tone of voice. "I said I needed the bathroom, so be quick. I don't have all day."

"What are you playing at with the reunion?" Theo demanded. "You can't come."

"Why not?" Astoria pouted. "It sounds like fun."

"What if Draco does show up?" Theo asked. "He could cause a whole heap of trouble for us both."

"If he does then we just stay away from him." Astoria shrugged. "But he won't turn up, why would he? All his school friends haven't spoken to him in seven years, and he was never Mr Popular with the other three houses."

"I know the likelihood of him turning up is slim, but what if he does and seeing us both prompts him to tell the truth?"

"He's not going to tell anyone anything." Astoria announced confidently. "If he was going to tell people the truth he would have done it seven years ago. Even his parents have never told anyone what happened. You know the Malfoy's are very private people, they won't want what happened becoming public knowledge."

"You better be right." Theo muttered.

"I'm always right." Astoria smirked. "Don't stress Theo, you'll make people suspicious. I promise you Draco won't be there, and if for some reason he is, we just keep away from him. You're worrying over nothing."

"I hope so." Theo sighed.

"I know so." Astoria asserted. "Now let's get back outside before people start wondering what we're doing."

Theo waited until Astoria had headed back outdoors before he grabbed his beer and followed her. He did his best to ignore the worry that was gnawing at him, but something told him they were playing with fire by taking Astoria with them to the reunion.

* * *

><p>Draco was walking past his father's study when Lucius called him into the room. Draco and Hermione were currently staying at the Manor as they found somewhere to live, much to Narcissa's delight. Narcissa had taken to Hermione the minute they met and the two witches were very close, despite living in different continents for years. Lucius had taken a bit longer to warm up to Hermione, especially since she was a muggleborn and he'd been raised to think less of them, but the fact she made Draco happy won his father round and the pair now had a very good relationship.<p>

"I hear you're going to the reunion." Lucius remarked when Draco entered the room.

"Hermione really wants to go." Draco explained.

"The things we'll do for our wives." Lucius chuckled. He knew how much Draco didn't want to go to the reunion, but he also knew he would do just about anything to keep his wife happy.

"Tell me about it." Draco muttered, sinking down into one of the chairs that stood in front of the fire.

"You don't want to go." Lucius stated. Pouring two glasses of firewhisky he handed one to his son and sat down in the chair opposite him.

"Is it that obvious?" Draco asked. Since agreeing to go to the reunion he thought he'd done a good job of giving the impression he was happy about going.

"Yes." Lucius replied with a small chuckle. "Is it your friends that are bothering you?" He asked.

"They're not bothering me exactly, I just have no desire to see them and I don't want to be the cause of any trouble." Draco answered. "If they are there, I'm just going to ignore them and hope they do the same."

"Do you know anything about their lives now?" Lucius asked.

"Not a thing." Draco responded taking a swig of his firewhisky.

"Pansy and Blaise are married now, and Theo's still with Daphne." Lucius told his son. "He's also still seeing Astoria on the side."

"You mean it's turned into a full blown affair?" Draco questioned. When his father had started talking he wasn't interested in knowing about his former friends, but despite himself he found his curiosity aroused.

"Apparently so." Lucius nodded. "He bought her a luxury penthouse five years ago."

"How do you know that?"

"Because he bought it from one of our companies." Lucius answered. "I was going through some paperwork and spotted Theo's name on the document. At first I thought he'd bought it for him and Daphne, but a bit of snooping revealed Astoria actually lives there. It's one of the top range places, with the top security and doormen and according to the doormen Theo visits a couple of times a week and often stays the night."

"Fascinating." Draco muttered, shaking his head. He couldn't believe that Theo would turn his supposed big mistake into a full blown affair.

"I haven't even hit the fascinating bit yet." Lucius smirked. "About three years ago Astoria had a baby, a little girl. The official story about the father is a fling gone wrong, but I happen to know the little girl is Theo's."

"Astoria and Theo have a child together?" Draco just couldn't believe what he was hearing, his former fiancée and friend had turned out to be truly deceitful people.

"Yes." Lucius nodded. "She doesn't see anyone else, and hasn't for years. Theo's name is even on the birth certificate, although I don't know if he knows that."

"How do you?" Draco asked.

"I have friends in the right places."

"Why are you telling me this?" Draco questioned.

"You never know when you'll need the information." Lucius shrugged. "It might come in handy at one point."

"How? As blackmail?" Draco snorted.

Lucius didn't answer his son with words, but his raised eyebrow and smirk told Draco everything he needed to know. No doubt his father had used this tactic in the past, gaining information on a rival to use when the time was right. Draco however had no intention of using the information his father had just given him. He was shocked and appalled that Astoria and Theo had continued to see each other, but he wanted nothing more to do with them. Hermione and the baby were his life now, not his former friends and their grubby antics.

"Thanks for the drink." Draco told his father as he stood up.

"Just remember what I've told you." Lucius called as Draco left the room. "It's always preferable to have one over on someone you could have problems with. Sometimes you have to fight fire with fire."

Lucius words of warning swam about in Draco's head as he made his way up to his wing of the house. He and Hermione had settled there for the time being, using the whole wing of the Manor at least afforded them some sense of privacy. Draco found Hermione in his old bedroom, which was where they were sleeping as it was by far the largest room in the wing.

"Are you okay?" Hermione asked her husband as he entered the room.

"Yeah, although I've just had a weird conversation with my father."

"Every conversation with him is weird." Hermione replied. "I always get the impression he's either plotting something or offering strange words of wisdom. A few times I even could have sworn he was flirting with me."

"Knowing father, he's probably done all three." Draco said as he sat down on the bed next to Hermione. "He's always plotting something or other, he's quite flirty and his advice often is rather off the wall. I think he's just advised me to blackmail Theo if I see him."

"What?"

Draco chuckled at Hermione's outraged expression, before telling her what Lucius had told him. He told her all about Theo and Astoria and what Lucius had said about having something over them.

"First of all Astoria and Theo are horrible people." Hermione said. "And secondly, I think I can see where your father is coming from by telling you this."

"You think I should blackmail Theo and Astoria?" Draco looked at his wife is disbelief, surely he'd misunderstood her.

"Of course not." Hermione tutted. "I think Lucius just wanted you to have an edge if there was a confrontation. They've portrayed you as the bad guy in all of this, but you're not. You could have told everyone what really happened, but you chose to rise above petty mudslinging. You gave Theo and Astoria the chance to make amends for their mistake and to not hurt Daphne any further, but they chose to keep hurting her by having an affair. Lucius has just given you something to throw back at them, if they throw unnecessary insults at you."

"Wouldn't that just be stooping to their level though?" Draco questioned.

"I'm not saying you have to use the information, it's just handy to know." Hermione answered. "Besides, if they keep well away this won't be an issue. You don't want to talk to them, so if this all comes out it's because they've done something to ask for it."

Draco nodded as he wondered if he'd done the right thing in telling Hermione what his father had told him. If anything did happen at the reunion his wife could be a bit feisty at times and he wouldn't put it past her to reveal everything in a moment of temper. Then again if his buttons were pushed he might also let slip a few home truths to his former friends. Hopefully though they'd stay well away from him, so spilling their secrets wouldn't be an issue.


	4. Chapter 4

"Do I look okay?" Hermione asked Draco as her husband emerged from the bathroom.

She was standing in front of the full length mirror in the bedroom, scrutinising her outfit for the reunion they were heading to. Her outfit was a long sapphire dress which clung to her body and emphasised her cleavage. Hermione however was worried it drew attention to her small bump. She was only four months along and the bump was barely visible when she was naked, but she still felt as though it was very obvious she was pregnant.

"You look gorgeous." Draco reassured his wife as he walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist.

"I don't look fat, do I?" She asked as her hand rested on her stomach.

"No, you can't even tell you're pregnant." Draco replied.

"Are you sure?" Hermione checked.

"I'm sure." Draco nodded. "But why are you so worried? Do you not want people to know about the baby?"

"Of course I do." Hermione replied, turning around in Draco's arms so she was facing her husband. "I just don't fancy having people trying to touch my bump. People used to do that with Ginny when she was pregnant and I thought it was so annoying. It's different when it's family and friends, but not people you barely know."

"I don't think you have to worry about that just yet." Draco said. "Although if you're bothered, we could always skip tonight and stay in."

"I don't think so." Hermione chuckled. Giving Draco a quick peck she stepped out of his arms and walked across to where her bag and shoes were sitting.

"It was worth a try." Draco shrugged as he picked up his jacket and pulled it on.

Once Hermione had slipped on her shoes and grabbed her bag the couple made their way downstairs. After saying goodbye to Lucius and Narcissa the couple headed to the floo room in the Manor. Since discovering Hermione was pregnant Draco had insisted she stopped apparating and had arranged for them to floo to Hogsmeade. Hermione did point out that she apparated throughout the first couple of months of her pregnancy since she didn't know she was expecting, but Draco wasn't going to be swayed and had insisted that apparating wasn't an option.

Draco had arranged for them to floo to Ron's shop in Hogsmeade, where they would meet their friends. Ron ran two successful Quidditch shops, the first in Diagon Alley and the second was his newest addition in Hogsmeade. Both were a roaring success and Ron's shops were the best place to go if you wanted Quidditch memorabilia. As well as all the shirts and regular stuff you could pick up all over the place he specialised in signed items from professional Quidditch players. In the shop in Hogsmeade he also carried Hogwarts Quidditch supplies, tailored to the four houses of the school.

When Hermione and Draco arrived in the back room of Ron's shop they found their friends waiting for them. Harry and Ron were both wearing suits like Draco, while Ginny was wearing a stunning red dress that showed off quite a bit of flesh and Luna was in a cheerful bright yellow dress.

"We were beginning to think you weren't coming." Ginny said, hugging both Draco and Hermione.

"I wish." Draco muttered.

"Lighten up Draco." Hermione said to her husband. "We're going to have a great night."

"Yeah, it'll be fun." Harry added with a smile.

"Okay, okay, I'll stop complaining." Draco said. "I'll try my best to have fun."

"Great, let's go." Ron said.

The three couples left Ron's shop and after he'd locked up they made their way towards The Three Broomsticks. Upon entering the pub they headed to the bar where Madam Rosmerta directed them to the rooms upstairs that had been hired for the reunion. The landlady looked rather surprised to notice Draco among the Gryffindors, but she didn't ask questions, she just told them to have fun.

When they entered the room they were greeted by Ernie MacMillan, who had organised the event. "I'm pleased you could all make it." He said with a smile. "Just mingle and catch up with everyone."

"Thanks Ernie." Harry replied. "It's great to see you again."

"You too, all of you." Ernie said. "I'll find you later to catch up properly, but for now I have to play host. There's still a few people not here yet."

"Ooh look, Neville." Luna chirped as she scanned the room. "Let's go and say hi."

Together the group made their way over to Neville Longbottom and his wife, Hannah Abbot. They still saw Neville quite often and knew he was the Herbology Professor at Hogwarts, while Hannah now ran The Leaky Cauldron and had turned the former dingy pub into a lovely place to hang out. As the three couples caught up with Neville and Hannah they had no idea they were being talked about from across the room.

* * *

><p>The group of Slytherins were sitting together in the corner of the room when they spotted Draco entering the reunion. While his presence in itself was shocking enough, his choice of companions were even more surprising. The last people the group expected to see Draco with was the Gryffindor trio he'd clashed so much with at school.<p>

"What on earth is Draco doing with them?" Pansy sneered. "He's certainly gone down in the world."

"I just can't believe he has the nerve to show up." Daphne stormed. "After everything he did, how can he just waltz in here as though nothing happened?"

"Just ignore him, Daph." Theo soothed his wife. "Have another drink." He quickly grabbed the pitcher of cocktails that Pansy had ensured was on their table and poured his wife a fresh drink.

"I don't want another drink." Daphne retorted, battering away the drink her husband was offering her.

As her friends continued to speculate about Draco, Daphne watched him with narrowed eyes. He was laughing and joking as though he didn't have a care in the world and he hadn't even glanced in their direction. Feeling a surge of anger towards the wizard who had broken her sister's heart Daphne abruptly stood up.

"Where are you going?" Theo asked warily as Daphne began shuffling out from behind the table.

"To give Draco a piece of my mind." Daphne answered. "I should have done it a long time ago."

"Daphne don't." Astoria pleaded with her sister. "Just leave it."

"No." Daphne shook her head and dodged away from her husband as he tried to grab hold of her. "This has to be done. He has to face up to the heartbreak he caused."

Before either Theo or Astoria could stop her, Daphne started marching towards their former friend. Quickly the pair darted after her, with Blaise and Pansy following along to witness the fun. Goyle, Crabbe and his partner remained seated, not wanting to get involved in what would undoubtedly be a messy slanging match.

* * *

><p>"Bloody hell. Here comes trouble." Ron muttered, spotting a furious Daphne heading their way.<p>

Before anyone really had a chance to react Daphne came storming up to the group and slapped Draco hard across the face.

"You bastard." She screamed, raising her hand to give the blond another good hit.

"Don't you dare." Hermione snarled, grabbing hold of Daphne's wrist to stop her hitting Draco again.

"Get your filthy hands off me." Daphne fumed, struggling to escape Hermione's iron grip.

"Let her go." Theo ordered, stepping up beside his wife.

"Fine." Hermione said, letting go of Daphne. "But keep your hands to yourself." She warned the other witch. "Next time, I'll hit back."

"There won't be a next time." Theo said, shooting his wife a warning glare. "Daphne's sorry, and we'll just be going now."

"I am not sorry." Daphne snarled. "He deserved it, and more. That arsehole broke my sister's heart."

"As if." Hermione snorted. "That little cow doesn't have a heart."

"Watch your mouth, you filthy mudblood." Pansy spat, jumping into the action.

Immediately Hermione's husband and friends reacted. Draco, Ron, Harry and Neville all pulled out their wands and aimed them towards the Slytherins while Luna, Ginny and Hannah gathered protectively around Hermione.

"I think it's you lot that should watch your mouths." Draco warned menacingly. "If one more person insults my wife, I'll not hesitate to curse you in the most painful way I can imagine."

"Wife?" Astoria gasped, staring at her former fiancé in shock. "You married Granger?"

"And suddenly this is all making so much more sense." Blaise remarked. "This is why you left Astoria, isn't it? To be with Granger?"

"Yeah, we all know you had a thing for her back in school." Pansy crowed. "Clearly the pair of you were at it behind poor Astoria's back."

"Hermione and Draco didn't get together until well after he'd left Astoria." Harry said, defending his friends.

"And as for 'poor Astoria', she was the cheating cow who slept with Draco's best friend." Ginny blurted out.

"What?" Pansy screeched, turning to her husband. "Tell me it's not true."

"It's not true, Pans." Blaise told his wife. "I haven't touched Astoria. Unless you count the time we shagged back in school. But we weren't together then, I haven't been near her since, I swear."

"He's telling the truth." Astoria told Pansy. "Blaise was my first lover, but it was a one off and we've never repeated it since."

"See, you nasty lying Weasel. Astoria didn't sleep with Blaise." Pansy said to Ginny.

"I never mentioned Blaise." Ginny shrugged.

"But you said Draco's best friend, that's Blaise." Daphne said.

"He had another one." Hermione quietly pointed out.

Daphne gasped and turned to her husband and sister. "Is it true?"

"Of course not." Astoria scoffed. "It's all lies to cover up for the fact Draco left me without a reason."

"I gave you a reason." Draco said coldly. "And yes Daphne, it's true. Astoria slept with Theo. Your husband came and confessed everything to me, which was why I called off the wedding."

"I didn't." Theo shook his head vigorously. "I swear Daphne, I've never been anywhere near Astoria."

"Then why did you buy her an expensive penthouse?" Draco questioned. He hadn't meant to mention the penthouse but he was angry that he was still being made out to be the liar.

"You said it was a present from daddy." Daphne accused her sister.

"It was." Astoria insisted. "Don't listen to him Daphne, he's just out to cause trouble."

"Actually, I was just having a quiet night out with my wife and friends. You were the ones looking for trouble." Draco said.

"You say that, but we're not the ones throwing wild accusations around." Pansy retorted.

"They're not wild accusations, I'm telling the truth." Draco responded. "I ended things with Astoria because she cheated on me. At the time I thought it was a one off, but it's continued. Theo bought the penthouse from one of our companies, and I can assure you it's his name on all the documentation."

"This isn't true Daphne." Theo pleaded with his wife as he saw the doubt creeping into her eyes. "You're the only witch I've ever been with, I love you."

"Yeah, you love her so much you've been bedding her sister for years." Ginny snorted.

"I haven't." Theo yelled. "I have not slept with Astoria."

"Then how was your child born, an immaculate conception?" Hermione snapped, growing increasingly frustrated with the Slytherins and their childish antics.

"Cordelia?" Daphne gasped. "She's yours."

"No, she isn't." Theo answered, although he didn't sound as convincing as he had earlier.

"She is. That's why you don't want children, you already have a daughter." Daphne whispered, backing away from Theo as he reached for her.

"Daphne, we can explain." Astoria cut in. Denying things wasn't working so she was hoping that maybe she could talk her way out of trouble.

"I'm not interested. I hate the pair of you and never want to see you again." Daphne snapped before turning to Draco. "I'm sorry for hitting you and I'm sorry for causing trouble."

"It's not your fault Daphne." Draco sighed. "I should have told you when it happened, but I believed Theo when he said it was a one off. I didn't want you to get hurt unnecessarily, but I swear if I'd known they were going to carry on I would have told you."

Daphne nodded and offered Draco a small smile before turning on her heel and fleeing the room. Theo and Astoria went flying after her, although neither one was holding out much hope of being able to earn her forgiveness.

"I'm sorry Draco." Blaise said, breaking the silence that had fallen once Daphne had departed. "I had no idea Astoria had cheated on you. I didn't know it had been going on so long, I thought it was a recent development."

"You knew?" Pansy yelled at her husband, slapping him hard on the arm. "You knew Theo was cheating on Daphne and you never said a word."

"I didn't want to cause trouble." Blaise answered. "I knew you would tell Daphne, and all hell would break loose."

"Of course I would tell her." Pansy cried. "She's my best friend, and she deserves better."

Giving Blaise a deathly stare, Pansy stalked off towards the bar. Blaise contemplated following his wife, but instead he returned his focus to Draco.

"I hope we can be friends again." He said with a smile. "I swear, if I'd know what had happened with Astoria, I would have been there for you."

"You could have found out if you'd bothered to come and see me." Draco told his former friend. "I was at the Manor for a fortnight before I left and you never visited once, nor have you visited since. If you'd really been my friend you would have at least found out my side of the story, instead you believed every lie Astoria told you and deserted me. I don't need friends like that, Blaise. I've got true friends now, friends who would never do what you did."

Blaise was stunned by Draco's rejection and before he could find the words to formulate a response his former friend and his new friends had turned and walked away from him. Leaving Blaise to contemplate his mistakes, the group headed off for one of the nearby tables. Settling down they immediately began gossiping about Theo and Astoria and what had just happened.

"Are you okay?" Hermione quietly asked her husband as their friends chatted.

"Yeah." Draco nodded. "I just feel bad for Daphne. She didn't deserve for everything to come out that way."

"I know, but it would have come out eventually." Hermione said. "You can't keep secrets like that and expect them to stay hidden."

"I guess so." Draco replied.

"And speaking of secrets, was Pansy right?"

"What about?" Draco asked. "She said a lot of stuff, and I think most of it was nonsense."

"About you having a thing for me in school." Hermione clarified.

"Ah, that." Draco smiled softly. "Yes, that was true, I did."

"Why did you never tell me?" Hermione questioned.

"I wasn't sure if you were interested." Draco replied. "Besides I didn't want to be rejected and make things awkward between us since we had to live together."

"I wouldn't have rejected you." Hermione admitted. "In fact, I spent most of our last year thinking about asking you out."

"What a pair we make." Draco laughed. "Things could have been so different if we'd only acted on our feelings back then."

"True." Hermione nodded. "But you can't guarantee we would have worked out back then. We might have had a quick fling before going our separate ways. At least this way, we're sure about our relationship and we've got our entire future ahead of us."

Draco nodded and wrapped his arm around Hermione, pulling her into his side. "I guess the past doesn't matter, it's not as if we can change it anyway."

"Exactly." Hermione smiled up at Draco. "We're together now, and that's all that matters."

Draco smiled back at his wife before they refocused their attention on their friends. They had a reunion to enjoy and he wasn't going to let his former friends spoil their evening.

**The End.**

* * *

><p><strong>AN – Thanks for all the great reviews. I chose to end the story here as I felt Hermione and Draco's story was done. They're happy and settled and there's nothing more to say about them really. I possibly could have done another chapter about Theo, Daphne and Astoria, but they were a side story and I think it's fairly obvious that Theo's wrecked his marriage and Astoria has lost her sister. Thanks again, and I hope people enjoyed this slightly different take on a reunion.**


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